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3/30/12

The Miami Heat got in at 4:30am were are told. Which for any other team would be a story. For Miami that is the regular team curfew in South Beach. There are lots of empty seats this year for Bosh's return to Toronto. A little different story last year. Raptors are a lot different too. That being said the Heat are pretty much the same unstoppable force they always are.

The game starts with a Bosh bucket in the lane to a smattering of boos. It would start a 10-0 run for the Heat to start this game and it was not a surprise. The lack of people in the building was considering the opposition beyond the Bosh return you have Wade and James two of the best players in the NBA. Raptors would get a basket after a time out but the beat down just kept rolling along with score 16-2. The Raptors would show small signs of life on offense but their defense was to make a joke and a point MIA. The Heat led 22-10 and really were getting whatever they liked on the offensive end. DeRozan had a few nice scores and on a drive to the hoop he cut the lead to 26-15 for the Heat. Raptors would get together a little run and make this a six point basketball game. Chalmers with timely 3 ball makes the lead back to 9. Still the Raptors kept charging and had got this back to a respectable close game down just 31-27 after one.

Bargnani was getting it done and he remains glued to the bench to start the 2nd. The Raptors were now a scrap bunch with Amir Johnson and others like Gary Forbes in the fray. They cut lead to just 2 for the Heat the closest they had been since practically the opening tip. Bargnani would return and maybe message received as he hit a baseline jumper to tie the game at 35. Raptors would get the lead on a Derozan lay up from a feed from Anderson on 10 day contract. Raptors lead 41-39. Chris Bosh had seen enough of this he makes a jumper and ties this game up. Then Wade with a great move of a pick set for him and to cap it off Lebron James with a dunk as the Big 3 go back to back to back scoring to give Heat a 47-43 lead. The Heat would expand that to a 59-51 lead closing out the half on a 12-4 run sparked by the Super Friends.

Bosh has 14, James has 14 and Wade has 13 points. Also with 14 points Demar DeRozan but he does not have the support to battle with the Big 3. Alley oop to James to start the half but the Raptors respond with Jose to Amir hook up. Amir getting the start in 2nd half replacing Aaron Gray in starting group. Bosh than gets a slam to groans from the ACC crowd. The Raptors were keeping it close as Demar nailed a jumper after another Amir score. The Heat were letting the Raptors hang around for now with the score 65-61. Back to back hoops from D-Wade would get the Heat lead back to 8. But the Raptors pushed back again and Bargnani three ball cut the lead to just three at 69-66. Bargnani after being benched for awhile got the message and has played much better since. Made a couple free throws to get the Raptors to just one point behind. Demar DeRozan meantime loves playing the Heat having an excellent night attacking constantly and he does again to tie the game up at 76. Heat again respond as Lebron James makes a jumper like it is easy as pie. Andrea Bragnani does one better with a big three ball to make it a one point lead for the Heat. James Johnson would score and the Raptors would lead this thing in the third 81-80. Raptors got their lead to three but then a wide open rookie Norris Cole nails a three and this game was tied at 83 after 3.

Heat again start the 4th and get out to a 4 point lead. Andrea Bargnani has been a totally different guy since getting benched early in this one. He fought for a rebound and drew a foul and then nailed a three on the extra possession he created. Bosh made a couple at the line but then James Johnson fires up a three ball and ties it at 89. Jose Calderon gets smacked in the face and called for a foul and doesn't like it and gets a tech. All that leads to three points for the Heat. Miami would get another star call as James Johnson got called for a charge. Heat go on a 8-0 run and lead 97-89. Out of time out Jose scores on a jumper of a nice screen. Wade answers that as he is fired up and was talking trash earlier. Chances of the Raptors winning had faded fast. Heat were playing defense much more to the level they normally do. That was the biggest difference in this worth quarter. A steal to drive home that point and D-Wade slam part of a 16-4 run that sees the Heat leading 105-93 with roughly 3 to play. Heat would go on cruise control the rest of the way. Bosh misses a dunk down the stretch fans got a chuckle but Bosh go a redo and smashed it down to give him 30 on the night to tie for the game high with D-Wade. Heat take this one 113-101.

Chris Bosh wins and all you get is a lousy slice of Pizza. Demar DeRozan had 28 and in this environment vs the Heat always seems to shine. Bargnani was terrible at the start, fantastic in the middle and was quiet late. It was a fun ride but the expected result.

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